The Practice

Consulting Locations

The main rooms of Dr Sam Sfameni are in Fitzroy and Essendon however he does consult from other locations. He also attends the Sunbury Specialist Centre and the Wyndham Private Specialist Consulting Suites on alternate Tuesday mornings.
Appointments can be made at each location as listed below:

Obstetric patients are seen at the Fitzroy and Essendon locations. Gynaecology patients can be seen at any of the above sites but colposcopy can only be performed at the Essendon location. Obstetric patients are confined at St Vincent’s Private Hospital.

Dr Sam Sfameni operates at the following hospitals:

John Fawkner Private Hospital, Coburg

St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Melbourne

Appointments

The Practice policy is for urgent patients to be seen at a time to fit with the degree of urgency of their problem. This is assessed by patient request. Urgent referrals are seen on the same day, semi-urgent referrals are usually seen prior to the weekend and non-urgent referrals at a mutually convenient time.
Dr Sam Sfameni is happy to see uninsured patients and once assessed can often arrange for their surgery to be done in either the private sector or elsewhere.

Accessibility

Dr Sam Sfameni can be contacted through his main rooms at Essendon or Fitzroy during week days between the hours of 9 00 am and 5 00 pm. After hours he can be contacted for Obstetrics patients through the Labour Ward at St Vincents Private Hospital on 9411 7320 and for Gynaecology patients ring John Fawkner Hospital, Second Floor on 9385 2200. The Practice is conducted as a solo 24 hour practice. All hospitals are provided with up to date contact details. The doctor has no regular after-hours roster, however if a locum is on duty, the labour ward and hospitals are notified by the receptionist.

Doctors

Referring doctors receive communication following the initial patient visit and after a procedure. Further communication is made on completion of an episode of care. Other specialists are written to as the need arises. Referrals for consultation by general practitioners or other correspondence can be made by e-mail on ssfameni@bigpond.net.au

Accounts

The Practice policy on billing are that accounts are generated at the time of consultation. Patients are able to pay by any method that suits them: cash, cheque or EFTPOS. Accounts for surgical treatments are billed directly to the private health funds as are also obstetric fees for confinement through the ‘no gap’ arrangement. Out-of-pocket antenatal expenses are charged at each visit. Fees and charges are displayed in the office and waiting area and the fee for obstetric management is available from the secretary.

Chaperone for examinations

It is the policy of the Practice to encourage patients to attend with a partner, relative or friend for their support during examinations.

Privacy policy

All health information about a patient is collected with their consent to be used within the practice and disclosed outside the practice only with the patients signed consent.

Investigation results

Reports are received on-line and must be checked by the Doctor before they can be filed in the computer. Cervical cytology reports are posted to patients on every occasion. Other results are communicated to the patients at their next visit or by telephone. Known general practitioners receive copies of all reports. Abnormal report management is relayed to referring doctors after a decision is made.

Clinical procedures

All instruments used for clinical procedures are sterilized and individually packaged by John Fawkner Hospital central sterilizing service. Sterile procedures are undertaken with full aseptic technique. All sharp items are disposed of correctly to a safe biological hazard container. Prepackaged sterile disposable plastic speculums are always used for routine gynaecological examinations.